leFH18

[Bravo]

Well I hardly dare post any of my work as the standard here is so good. Then I figured that I could learn a hell of a lot from you guys so I will post up my WIP.

Please bear in mind that it does need to be fairly low poly as it will be used in a mapping project for a game. Low frame rates can kill a map y'see.

The application I am using is anim8or, not brilliant, but is is free :D

This is a WIP btw

[Bravo]

Spent most of tonights work remodelling the shield...I didn't realise it had wings (musta had some Red Bull), did some work on the back too, which has been a little tricky as I can't find a photo looking at one from the back...

Back:

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/1565/105lefh64lu.th.jpg (http://img311.imageshack.us/my.php?image=105lefh64lu.jpg)

Front:

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/3893/105lefh75om.th.jpg (http://img247.imageshack.us/my.php?image=105lefh75om.jpg)

[Airborne]

Nice looking artillery piece for being low-poly.

[Bravo]

A wire (from the rear), so hopefully some of you super modellers can see my construction technique and maybe give me some feedback as to how I can improve?

(Some changes made since last pic - including remodelling of wheels)

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8470/wire18ed.th.jpg (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wire18ed.jpg)

[Andyf]

By the way:
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/lefh_18.htm
http://walkarounds.airforce.ru/artillery/germany/lefh18/
http://www.battlefront.co.nz/Article.asp?ArticleID=207

[Bravo]

By the way:
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/lefh_18.htm
http://walkarounds.airforce.ru/artillery/germany/lefh18/
http://www.battlefront.co.nz/Article.asp?ArticleID=207

Thanks Andy ;)

The first link is the references I used, and someone on another forum pointed me in the direction of the second already.
The third link is an interesting read, thanks mate

[Andyf]

J! Nice to see you too!

[Bravo]

Pathetic attempt at texturing:

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/1411/105lefh94ix.jpg

In this area I could really use some help :(

[ThePhobos]

I think it looks great. For modeling a game model you seem to (from the looks of the wireframe model) have used a nice conservative approach to your polygon usage. If it's going to be used with a commercial game engine, which one will it be? Texturing can be hard, and Lord knows I am still terrible at it, but you have to start somewhere, so I think you're off to a good start. Keep it up!

[Bravo]

It's the quake3 engine it's going to be used with...someone told me the model reeally needs to have a max of 3,000 polies or so, this one has 3100 points, 5707 edges, 2716 faces.

I was gonna add on a few modelled rivets n stuff but someone else told me the quake 3 engine couldn't really handle little stuff that small unless the model (ingame) is a massive thing.

[ThePhobos]

I don't know for sure what the Q3 engine can handle, but I know that with current "new" video cards, benchmarks with the Q3 engine are getting 500+ fps. Now, to me that says that the models can have a higher poly count than before, but I would be wary of that since (1) Not everyone has a super fast video card, and (2) The engine itself might not be able to handle it.

You are correct though about the rivets. They'd really be wasted polygons, since most people won't ever take the time to stand around and look at whether or not there are rivets. If they did, they'd probably end up dead in the game. :)

One place that sometimes gets overlooked when it comes to cleaning up a model for video game production are polygons that are hidden by other ones. For example, on your model there are spokes that go into the wheels. At the end of each of those spokes there might be polygons (I can't tell from looking at the wireframe). If there are, and those polys are "inside" of the round part of the wheel, then the game engine is having to draw them even though they're never going to be seen. So if there are polygons that you have in there that are never seen because another poly is covering them up, take them out. I wouldn't be surprised that you might be able to shave off 100 or so polys just from cleanup like that.

In a similar fashion, if you ever look at the models from any game engine where it's the player's own arms and gun (the view of the gun that you see when your character is holding the weapon), there's never a body attached to those arms. It's basically two forearms and a gun (which probably is missing a lot of polys on the underside). It's kind of funny to see it outside of the game setting, actually. But those polys are sacrificed for the same reason.

Just my un-educated two cents. :D

[Bravo]

I know what you are saying about the extra polies, I did think of removing them at the time I was modelling, but left them there in case I wanted to do anything different with them, then forgot about them lol...I could save 96 polies on the wheel alone :D

Thanks for the useful feedback Phobos, much appreciated mate

[Andyf]

Take a look on African style:lol:

PS Pics from book "Spearhead: 21st Panzer Division"